Solving the Puzzle to Reach the Summit: Using Metaphor to Gauge Public Perceptions of Science

Paul Thibodeau, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH, USA

Stephen Flusberg, Purchase College, State University of New York, Purchase, New York, United States of America

Kevin Holmes, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO, USA

Abstract

Skepticism towards science has risen sharply in recent years.
Cognitive scientists can help address this issue by illuminating how people
conceptualize the scientific process, paving the way for improved communication
with the public. We recruited a large sample of lay Americans, as well as
academics in the sciences and humanities, to answer a series of questions
assessing their views about science. Because metaphors have been identified as
useful tools for communicating about complex domains, we asked participants to
choose which of two metaphors––working on a puzzle or scaling a
mountain––best captured their beliefs about the scientific process.
Results revealed substantial variation in perceptions of science across groups,
and we highlight the ways in which scientists seem to conceptualize science
differently from non-scientists. Importantly, metaphor preference was associated
with particular patterns of thinking, though not always in our originally
hypothesized direction. We discuss the implications of these findings.